Phoenix (Disconnected)

VIII-XVI

Hunter

I can't seem to get a sentence from her for an hour now, we just stop from booth to booth and telling her things enthusiastically.

She doesn't talk to us except during the council tutoring sessions.

I wonder how's Carter and Nhinx?

"How's the event so far?" I asked. She replied. "Good." Convincing...Though that's four letters! Breaking the record.

Let's try one more time. I cheerfully smiled at her. "I heard humans treat the first fall of snow very special! How about you?" She stopped walking and looked at me. I also stopped. "Tropical country." She then continues to walk.

Oh...Uhm two words! Progress...Maybe a more engaging conversation will do?

When I was about to ask how humans celebrate winter, she wasn't there. "Oh dear."

These past few months, the one thing I learned about her is that you should never let her out of your vision range. She's quick to vanish.

"Sorry...Excuse me...Sorry, coming through." I tried to look for her by going against the crowd's current. Another problem, she's also hard to find. She can easily fit inside a toy chest. There's no doubt that she can be anywhere.

It's around 9 pm, I sat at the bench I found. I've been looking for two hours now, additional that some students asked for help along the way. I officially lost her for the twenty-fifth time this month. I leaned my head backward and close my eyes trying to think.

"Just in case if you got separated with me accidentally, stay by that huge tree okay?" 

I hastily stand up. That's right! How could I forget! It's worth trying, even if she didn't really mind that time.

I took a detour so I can avoid the crowd. When I got there, I saw a Nicole standing beside the huge tree, rocking her heels back and forth while looking down. Thank goodness!

"I'm so so sorry! I–" I approached her and apologized but she cut me off, handing me a stick of caple, a glowing tennis ball-sized confectioner with various design and flavors. Their glows indicates what their specific taste.

"Is this for me?" I asked she nodded. "Thank you!" I took the glowing brown puppy designed caple and eat it.

The sweet melts in my mouth, changing into the consistency and temperature of a hot chocolate. "Wow, they did a pretty good job with these!"

The usual, she doesn't reply quickly. I looked at her, as she curiously munched her peachy polar bear designed caple, her eyes lit up and happily eat it. Somebody's enjoying her sweets.

I stand beside her and eat our food. "Did you wait long?" She shakes her head and showed me her half-eaten caple. "The line is long enough but worth it."

I looked at her, surprised. Four hours and thirty minutes before she said a sentence! I know it might be a small deal to others but for me, a moment like this a big deal of a process.

I noticed that it's not just the caple she bought, she's carrying a paper bag filled with different items of the booths we went earlier. I was worried that she doesn't like the winter fest.

I smiled at her warmly. She ignored me and proceed to eat, but before she continues, she said with a quiet tone. "I had fun, Thank you."